City renews jail contract with North Royalton

Nov. 1 city council meeting

by Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Brecksville City Council agreed to a lease agreement for jail housing and ancillary services with the city of North Royalton Nov. 1 which will allow the city to lease on jail bed on an exclusive basis for the Brecksville Police Department’s use.

The agreement is “essentially the same” as the six-month lease agreement that Brecksville signed with North Royalton in July of this year, Police Chief Stan Korinek said. The price is slightly higher, however, in the new agreement. The cost has gone from $56,000 to $63,875, he said.

The other cost increase is the per diem charge if Brecksville has a second prisoner at the same time and needs an additional cell. The cost for that has gone from $135 to $175.

“We have researched and considered going with other jails and we’ve come up short. There’s no other options in this point in time,” Korinek said.

The police chief said that Brecksville can temporarily hold prisoners its own jail, but for certain violent crimes that can take up to a year to go to trial, and require staying in jail until the trial, a full-service jail like North Royalton is required.

Mayor Jerry Hruby said the administration is in the process of reviewing what is necessary for the police department to add a full-service jail.

City council approved resolutions related to NOPEC’s PACE loan program. In cooperation with the Northeast Ohio Advanced Energy District, the city will proceed with “the acquisition, installation, equipment and improvement of certain public improvements” at 7000 block Fitzwater Road. In conjunction with the project, council approved of an ordinance to levy special assessments to provide for the completion of the special energy improvement project. Economic Development Director Monica Bartkiewicz will serve as the city’s liaison with NOPEC.

City council also approved employee health plans for next year, including dental coverage and life insurance.